The true level of government debt is not 805 billion pounds as currently reported by the Office for National Statistics, Newmark says, calling for an independent audit of the government’s books.

“The lax control of public money over the last decade has created a catastrophic level of debt, now equivalent to 2.2 trillion pounds – or 157.2 percent of gross domestic product,” he writes. “This is an increase of 346 billion pounds since last year, when the true level of government debt was 1.85 trillion pounds (or 126.9 percent of GDP).

Newmark, a member of the Treasury Select Committee, discussed “The Hidden Debt Bombshell” with Reuters:

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I am the communities editor for the Thomson Reuters Foundation in London where I blog, micro blog, write stories, make videos, audio and work on the AlertNet and TrustLaw news websites. AlertNet is a humanitarian news website covering wars, conflict, natural disasters, food and health emergencies. TrustLaw is covers good governance and women's rights. I moved to the foundation in 2010 after two years with the Reuters UK website. Find me @jmollins or +Julie Mollins.